british invasion '09

This week I bought three sets of concert tickets and am considering buying four. Lots of times when I splurge I splurge in sets. (ps.. I'm a tool) After watching Fever Pitch (the Colin Firth one written by Nick Hornby, NOT the Jimmy Fallon one) late last night, I realized that all four musical acts are actually British.

I've been constantly pulled to the motherland. One day I'll get there. It'll happen. I'm not much of a beans on toast guy, but I bet there are tons of good Chinese places there. Even while watching the movie I thought of how fun it would be to wander real English streets with soccer hooligans.

Back when I went to Israel ten years ago, I found myself hanging out with some of the European students. One Brit there wore his Doc Martens constantly (even at the beach) and had a giant Union Jack beach towel. Sorta punk, but definitely allegiant to the Queen.

One day he was dissing pretty hard on the United States at a steady stream and great volume. One of us was finally like, "Hey, take it easy. You're the guys who lost the revolution!" Then, I remember this well, he looked right at all us Yanks and said (with EXTREME sarcasm): "Oh? Is that when we let you have your own country?"

We all chuckled. No hard feelings. We won the war, but I've always felt that the British won the music. They gave us a country but since then there have been several very successful British invasions in music. In my opinion, they've dominated.

Anyway, let's talk about the shows I'm going to.

Lily Allen -- April 8, 2009 8:00 pm -- In the Venue
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Lately I've had a real good time saying her name "Riry Arren."

If you're reading this, you know I've had a healthy obsession with her for the past few weeks. I first took notice of her on Saturday Night Live. I'm pretty sure she performed "LDN" and "Smile" from her first cd.



Notice how different she sounded back then. She was a little more reggae, a little more Nellie McKay-ish. Here's the complete new song of hers that everyone has been telling me lately how much they love.



What the heck. Here's her cover of the Britney Spears song "Womanizer."



The Ting Tings -- April 9, 2009 9:00 pm -- The Urban Lounge
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Maria has been very adamant lately about how much I'll enjoy this show. They're sorta electronic I think, but they mix the beats and the loops live on stage. That means there is an element of improvisation and "live-ness" that may be missing from the average electronic show. My buddy Scott is a bouncer at the Urban Lounge. He seems pretty excited that the Lounge got the show. In his opinion The Ting Tings are very well liked by pretty girls, so maybe that will get some of my guy friends to come along (and some of my chick friends too probably). I don't know much about this band. Based on the clip below, they're sorta electro-loopy-cheerleaderish. Lemme tell ya though. Ten minutes after you watch the clip, it'll still be pounding through your head in a good way.



Franz Ferdinand -- April 21, 2009 6:30 pm -- The Great Saltair
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Haven't gotten the tickets yet, but I'm pretty sure I will.

I bought the original Franz Ferdinand album when it came out and didn't think much of it for the first six months or so I had it. Eventually, it really really grew on me and I realized it may be in my top ten favorite albums. Everybody knows "Take Me Out," but most of the songs on there are way better (including the super-gay "Michael" and the weirdly groovy "'40"). I saw these guys at Saltair in pre-promotion for their underrated second album. Good. Times. Before the show I was able to meet the lead singer at an X96 meet and greet. We talked music a bit. He was extremely gracious and nice and genuine. That always makes the music sound better.

Here's their new song. I love the toward the camera intense walk. I'm gonna film myself doing an intense toward the camera walk someday.



Depeche Mode -- August 25, 2009 8:00 pm -- The E-Center
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My first Depeche Mode show was in 1994 on the second leg of the Songs of Faith and Devotion Tour. Just about my favorite live show ever. I learned years later that the lead singer was in the middle of his romance with heroin and everyone in the band hated each other at that time. Never would have guessed. I've seen DM three times since then and Dave Gahan's solo tour once. If they do a show, I go. It's tradition I doubt I'll ever part with. Who knows how many shows that will be. This very well may be the last one. Of course they've milked me plenty for the past 20 years, what's another 20?

Depeche Mode shows are incredibly entertaining despite what they are on paper. The nature of the music means that much of the music isn't performed live on instruments. They've added A LOT more instrumentation lately, but unless I'm misinformed they still have a backing tape that plays the entire duration of the show. Nevertheless the show and spectacle of it all is brilliant and needs to be seen. I love just going to the E-Center every three years or so to see some of "my people."

Here's the new one. The album isn't out yet. I think it comes out April 21st or something.



Join these shows with me. 'Twil be fun!